Con

The American College of Pediatricians, in a Feb. 2014 article, "Neonatal Euthanasia: The Groningen Protocol," written by Felipe E. Vizcarrondo MD available at acpeds.org, stated:

“Supporters of neonatal euthanasia claim there is no difference between withdrawing or withholding treatment and giving lethal medication to end life.12 If death is imminent, starting or continuing life sustaining treatment would only prolong the death process and result in more pain and suffering for the child and his parents. In this case, it is ethically permissible to withhold or withdraw disproportionate life support technology and allow death to result as the natural consequence of the patient’s illness. Withdrawing or withholding life sustaining treatment in this clinical situation is not morally equivalent to active euthanasia…

The physician is a healer. The ends of medicine are health, cure and care. When a cure is not attainable and health cannot be restored, the physician must care for his patient. It is the physician’s moral obligation… Taking the suffering person’s life is not the solution to the pain and suffering that are part of the dying process.

The taking of innocent life is never a moral act. Neonatal euthanasia is not ethically permissible.”

Feb. 2014